


The Coach

by kethni



Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: F/F, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Post-Canon, Sequel, Young Love, request fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: Follows "Found Family"
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	The Coach

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to crazymaryt for the suggestion.

Kent knew that there was something on Meghan’s mind. It was unusual for her not to simply say anything that bothered her, so he was slightly concerned. She didn’t seem upset so much as mildly nervous.

He waited for her to make her own mind up when to talk to him. He hoped it wasn’t about Amy. Although they had discussed the situation a number of times over the years, and she had consistently shown little interest in Amy, he was always waiting for her to change her mind.

Legally Amy had no claim on Meghan. All that meant was that she couldn’t drag him through the courts. Meghan was old enough now to make her own mind up about who she wanted to be in her life. If she decided that she wanted relationships with her biological parents than _legally_ he could stop her, for a little while, but morally and ethically he thought he would be on very shaky ground. Not to mention the simple fact that if he attempted to prevent her then she would likely never forgive him.

He was doing the books when she wandered into the office, swinging her arms, and generally looking as if she’d rather be somewhere else.

‘Are you lost?’ he asked lightly.

‘No. Duh.’ She folded her arms across her chest. ‘You got a minute?’

His stomach clenched like a fist. ‘Sure.’

‘Coach Carcer is gonna be out of state the next couple of weeks,’ she said.

Kent looked at her blankly. ‘Who?’

‘My basketball coach,’ she said.

Kent sat back in his chair. ‘You have a lot of activities. It’s difficult to keep track.’

‘You said that he was a petty-minded little tyrant because he said my sneakers were the wrong shade of white.’

‘Oh,’ Kent said. ‘Him.’

Meghan licked her lips. ‘I was saying that you play a lot with me here at the ranch.’

A horrible suspicion began to form. ‘And?’

‘We need a coach for the next couple games,’ she said. ‘You could do it, right?’

‘You didn’t actually volunteer me, did you?’

She shrugged. ‘We need a coach, or we’ll have to concede the next two games. We’d lose the championship!’

‘You can’t just volunteer me for things!’

She pouted. ‘You can totally do it. Most of the other parents have jobs and things.’

Kent scowled. ‘ _I_ have a job. The ranch isn’t a hobby.’

‘You don’t have a boss,’ she said.

‘I’m my boss,’ Kent said.

She smiled brightly. ‘So, you can give yourself the time off to coach us.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘I’m not happy about this.’

She perched on the edge of the desk. ‘I didn’t volunteer you. Exactly. We were just talking. Most of the other girls don’t practise with their parents.’

Kent blew out his cheeks. ‘I don’t appreciate being pushed into this. Please don’t do it again.’

‘Sorry, dad,’ she said meekly. ‘Will you do it?’

‘I’ll talk to them.’

‘Awesome!’ She punched the air.

He pointed at her. ‘This doesn’t mean that I will go easy on you.’

She stood up. ‘I know. You’ll treat me like everyone else.’

‘I certainly will not,’ Kent said. ‘I will be significantly stricter with you.’

She rolled her eyes as she turned away. ‘Okay, Dad. If you say so.’

‘I do say so,’ he called after her as she sauntered out of the office.

He smiled slightly and shook his head. Coach her team. He certainly was well aware of the rules and strategies of basketball, but he wouldn’t have considered himself a natural coach of anyone, let alone preteen girls.

***

‘Did you ever coach for your kids’ sports teams?’ Kent asked.

Ben grunted and squinted at his golf club. ‘You think that I ever had time for that?’

‘For some reason I thought that you might have made time,’ Kent said tartly. ‘Although I suspect that you would not have been the most unbiased coach.’

‘I went to two of Bud’s baseball games,’ Ben said. ‘Or it might’ve been Polly’s soccer games.’

‘How can you not be sure which it is?’ Kent asked.

‘I was drunk,’ Ben said. ‘I got banned.’

‘For being drunk?’

‘For punching some other parent.’ Ben grunted as he sliced his ball. ‘He had it coming.’

Kent rubbed his forehead. ‘Ah. You’re one of _those_ parents. Why am I surprised?’

‘People get invested in their kids’ games,’ Ben said. ‘Especially when they’ve been drinking.’

‘People with anger management problems and no self-control,’ Kent said.

Ben squinted at him. ‘If it bothers you that much then don’t coach the team.’

‘I already said that I’d do it.’

‘Why the hell would you do that?’

They strolled towards their balls.

‘If they don’t find a coach then they’ll have to forfeit the next two games,’ Kent said. ‘They’d lose the championship. Meghan would be distressed and angry right when… Well.’

‘Right when what?’ Ben asked. He scowled at his ball on the ground. ‘Amy didn’t drop by again, did she?’

‘No, not since Christmas,’ Kent said. ‘It’s not as if she’s turning up on a regular basis or even a semi-regular basis.’

Ben put his hand on his hip. ‘But you’re still worrying about it? Why? Amy’s not Meghan’s mom. She gave that up when she signed the adoption papers. It was the best thing for everyone. Amy’s not stupid. She knows that. She made her choice.’

‘Meghan didn’t,’ Kent said quietly. ‘She says that they’re nothing but donors, that she feels nothing towards Amy or Dan.’

‘Then what the hell are you worrying about?’ Ben asked. ‘You’ve always been honest with her. She knows you’re her dad.’

Kent pursed his lips and messed with the handle of his golf club as he avoided looking at Ben. ‘It’s not rational. I know that. Nonetheless, I worry.’

‘Stop,’ Ben said. ‘Do you know how quickly kids grow up? She’s going to be a teenager before you know it. These are the times that you’re gonna cherish when she’s at college or when she’s getting married. These are the best times of her childhood and you’re spending them tying yourself in knots over something that’s never going to happen. Get a grip and enjoy the fact that your little girl actually _wants_ you to spend more time with her.’

***

In a way, it was a shame that basketball was Meghan’s preferred sport. As the various players ran around the court, Kent was aware of how much taller many of the other girls were. Perhaps he should have nudged her more towards a sport where a diminutive height would be less of an issue. Soccer perhaps. It had never been a particular favourite of his – he had always preferred baseball – but there would not have been the encroaching moment of her finding herself sized out of the team.

She could shoot though, small as she was. She had the ball and was getting ready to make her shot. Kent glanced at the clock. There was no more time. If she scored, then they’d win. If she missed, then they’d lose.

Kent bit his lower lip as the ball left her hands.

***

Pizza was the celebratory meal of choice. Kent didn’t think twice about the cost, but the _noise_ was becoming an issue.

He cleared his throat. ‘Girls, we need to lower the ambient volume.’

‘Huh?’ Terri asked.

‘He means shut up,’ Meghan said.

‘That is not what I mean,’ he complained. ‘Merely that the noise level needs to be lowered.’

Meghan rolled her eyes. She put her hands around her mouth. ‘Guys, we’re making too much noise. People are getting mad.’

The other girls glanced around the room at the other tables and gradually lowered their voices.

‘Thank you,’ Kent said wryly.

‘Anything for you,’ Meghan said sweetly.

He narrowed his eyes. ‘What do you want?’

‘Cheesecake for dessert,’ she said immediately.

Kent snorted. ‘You’re going to turn into a cheesecake.’

She took a big gulp of her juice. ‘That would be awesome.’

Kent stood up. ‘I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t let anyone run away.’

‘Nobody is going to run away from pizza, Mr Davison,’ Terri said seriously.

***

Kent checked his cell as he left the men’s room. He tried not to use his phone much around Meghan. It was far too easy to get distracted and miss things that she was saying or doing. When she had been a toddler, she would make damn sure to get his attention when she wanted it. As she had grown up though she had become more likely to ask once and then make a sardonic remark before giving up. He had to work harder and that wasn’t a bad thing.

Kent tucked his cell in his pocket and walked towards the table. The volume has risen again a little. Not enough to annoy the other customers but enough that the girls didn’t immediately notice him approaching.

Meghan and Terri didn’t notice him at all. They were at the corner of the table. Each of them was dangling a hand down where it couldn’t be seen by the other girls. Kent _could_ see their hands. He saw their fingers tentatively touch and tickle. He saw them both blush and stumble for words as they negotiated the hope and fear of holding hands.

Kent backed up a few steps and took a different route around the table, making sure that he didn’t disturb them.

He did a quick headcount of the children at the table and sent a stray boy back to his table.

‘Boys are _so_ annoying,’ Dhali complained.

‘We do have our downsides,’ Kent agreed. He glanced at Meghan, who was now finished her third piece of pizza.

She looked at him. ‘What?’

‘I was talking to Dhali,’ he said.

Meghan frowned. ‘Why are you all smiley.’

‘I’m not “smiley” particularly,’ he said firmly.

‘Yeah you are,’ she said. ‘You’re grinning like in that dumb photo of me as a baby.’

Kent finished his slice of pizza. ‘I hopefully that you are not referring to the photograph of me holding you for the first time.’

She pulled a face. ‘My face is all screwed up and red. I look like an angry baboon butt.’

Kent laughed. ‘That’s not quite how I would describe it.’ He gazed at her. ‘I’m just… happy to be here with you. I’m glad that you asked me to coach the last two games.’ He leaned over to kiss her cheek.

‘You’re so weird, dad,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘But you love me anyway?’

‘Duh,’ she said. ‘Of course.’

The End


End file.
